Ominira Studios

Ominira Studios was founded and owned by Nigerian-American film and television producer Melissa O. Adeyemo. Melissa started Ominira to seamlessly produce content between Nigeria, the rest of the continent, and the United States. As a Nigerian American woman with paternal Yoruba roots, Ominira is the Yoruba word for independence and freedom. The company name describes the work its founder hopes to propel in the global entertainment industry - dynamic and visually ambitious independent films about Black and African people. Driven by the belief that Black and African people have the right to see themselves in the highest forms of cinema, Melissa decided to produce independent films and content to bring forth said art. Through Ominira, Melissa can creatively produce, advise, and finance projects representing the multiplicity of Africa and its diaspora. Ominira has set its sights on developing work in line with Oscar Micheaux, Charles Burnett, Ousmane Sembene, and Kathleen Collins, positioning African and Black people to own their narrative. The company’s first feature film, “Eyimofe,” premiered at the 2020 Berlinale Film Festival to wide critical acclaim. The film won prizes at the Torino Film Festival and San Francisco Film Festival, received glowing reviews in Variety, The New Yorker, and was selected as a New York Times Critics Pick. “Eyimofe” was acquired by Janus Films and the prestigious Criterion Collection – the first Nigerian film ever to be included. The film was nominated for an NAACP award and won five awards at the Africa Movie Academy Awards, including Best Nigerian Feature Film. Ominira produced its first documentary feature, “Dusty and Stones.” The film premiered at DOC NYC 2022 and screened at Big Sky Film Festival. The film has gone on to much success on the festival circuit, recently winning Best Documentary Feature at Atlanta Film Festival and Best Debut Feature at the Florida Film Festival, among others.